What teaching situation that might/might have place(d) you in an ethical or legal dilemma.?

Question

and what kind of response/are action will you/did you choose/chose

Answer 1

I am an instructor at Junior College level. I was teaching history and had given a test. Two students advised me that a third student had an answer sheet on her lap and was copying off of them during the test. I examined the test and compared it with those of the complaining students and discerned what I thought was a clear pattern of cheating. However, I did not observe the cheating myself and some parts of the test did not match the other two tests. Amongst other things, the complaining students said that the alleged cheater does it in other classes and on occasion had been caught.

The ethical problem I faced in this situation was whether I should approach other instructors to see if they had anything they could share about this student's test performance in their classes.

Ultimately I decided not to approach other instructors. In fact, I have since learned that this could violate FERPA. Instead with a strong suspicion I took this situation to the Academic Dean, who basically said "if you didn't catch it yourself, there's nothing you can do." So, unfortunately I left this incident unresolved.

Answer 2

I would not even consider being a teacher in the USA. There are too many people that are always looking for something to complain about and are too willing to complain t the legal system.

The students for the most part are just fine. It is their parents that are the real problem. Parents are becoming well schooled but at the same time becoming very ignorant about life.

I do have a lot of respect for those of you that are willing to put up with all the crap that parents throw at you. Good teachers are very valuable to us all. Keep trying.

When students are a problem it is most of the time only reflecting the parents and what the parents have taught them.

Yes students do have an attitude of being smarter than us old folk but that will pass and they will become the old folk.

Not the answer you wanted I know.

Answer 3

While I live an ethical life and have never been in any legal trouble at all, it does bother me that as an instructor in the public school system I am not allowed to speak of my Christianity; yet, Muslim and Jewish parents are allowed to share their religions with their children's fellow students during class time (even though we can't sing any carols that mention an association with Christianity). Even Christian holidays aren't considered "excused absences, yet other religious holidays are for those who practice them. I am choosing to follow the "law," although I don't think that it is equitable.

Answer 4

Teach the "Battle Hymn of the Republic", that should start a controversy